My Wife Was Right, But I'll Never Tell
Monday, August 2, 2010 at 8:21AM I like to wake up with a game-plan for the day.
I like to know that around 10:30 a.m. I should be hurling the kids into the car, yelling at the wife to hurry the hell up, and giving the neighbor the evil eye because he has no kids.
This is completely opposite from the wife who enjoys sleeping until the kids are on the brink of burning the joint down. Then, she’ll suddenly wake-up and spontaneously want to climb a mountain, start a 12-acre farm, make “something awesome out of bamboo,” and feed a small country.
If you ask her “how are we going to do that honey?”
The first response will always be, “See!!!! That’s what I’m talking about! You never want to do shit unless you planned it two months ago!!!”
So, I decided not to fight it this past Saturday.
We woke up, the wife immediately said, “We shall go to the hoity toity Farmer’s Market, get judged, and buy some kick-ass donuts!”
I said, “Yes dear.” And we went.
Near the end of our judged and be-judged fest, we came across a half-pint of blueberries for $5. Knowing the kids love blueberries I said, “hey sweet precious wife of mine. Shall we purchase said berries for our amazing offspring?”
Her eyes lit-up, the skies parted, angles sang “whaaaaaaaaa” as the wife proclaimed, “We shall go blueberry picking right now!!!”
I said, “Yes dear.” And we went.
A quick Android search and five minutes later and we were joyfully headed to Michigan City, Indiana…just over an hour away.
Eighteen kid fights later we arrive at the blueberry farm and start picking like champs.
Half-way through our molestation of rows of blueberry bushes I realized, “holy shit I’m actually having fun. And…and I didn’t plan any of this.” But how was I going to keep it from the wife that she’s right – sometimes just doing shit on a whim really can be fun.
Six pounds of blueberries later and we’re piling back in the mobile. Pulling out on the road to head home we pass by sign pointing to all kinds of stuff around the area, one of which said, “Beach.”
“We shall totally go a beach along Lake Michigan!,” my darling wife proclaimed.
I said, “Yes dear.” And we went.
An Android search later and we were headed to find Mount Baldy in Indiana!
A climb to the top of a huge dune, a few tumbles down it, and a mass amounts of memories caught on still photos and our day was complete.
One hour later we’re home, kids tired, in bed, and wife nodding her head with approval at the fact we had a kick-ass time without a single damn plan of how the day would go.
And I’ll give her props. If I’d planned the day, we would have left by 6 a.m., cooler packed, MapQuested the hell out of everything within a 4 hour radius and a schedule would be firmly implanted in my head.
But I’ve got to admit…not having a plan and just enjoying the day was mighty damn nice. But I’ll never tell the wife that.
blueberry picking, indiana, lake michigan, mount baldy, spontaneous, trip
Reader Comments (17)
You are a brave man to admit your wife was right. Sounds like an awesome day! I wish I could admit Wil was right sometimes. Wait...nope. I don't. I am always right!
Why would you give your neighbors the evil eye for not having kids? I haven't had any and I really don't plan on it mainly because I have to pick up the slack for everybody who does have kids...
Just kidding... Families come first... I am sorry to hear you are not appreciating it yet... If it helps, my Brother committed suicide supporting a family and getting into a large debt. We think it was the anti-depressants... Take it easy and enjoy life, that's basically what you are here to do... right?
I totally give my childless neighbor the evil eye too----just because I CAN. Even though I wouldn't trade my tribe of five kids in for the world.
Okay well, maybe I'd trade them for a kick ass chocolate donut and ice-coffee...but...but then I would want them back the next day so that I would have the perfect excuse to go on giving the evil eye.
(Digging your unplanned day. Promise I won't tell the wife how awesome she is. )
Ahhh yes, I am YOU and my hubs is YOUR WIFE in our household. Each time hubs wants to pile us into the car I secretly pack everything from snowboots to formal attire to beach towels "just in case". Once I've gotten over my preplanning anxiety I actually enjoyed the spur of the moment ventures.
Glad you had a great day daddy but I have to agree with James, you're a douche ;)
Some of the best things in life are the unexpected. But how did you come to the decision to fly by the seat of your pants (or your wife's pants?). I need my husband to make the same decision. We are about to embark on a week long camping trip through the mid-atlantic and northeast states. And I fear the over planning has already begun. Although I have to admit, I am secretly glad sometimes that he has our route's mapped out and we always arrive safely and in a timely manner. Opposites attract, I think. Sounds like you had an awesome day!
Sounds like a great day even if it went against every fiber of your being. You can say it worked out this time but not that she was right though, fight on until the end. Giving in, even a little, leads to destruction.
I would never tell that your wife was right, but she already always knows that. Like I do. I know I am always right. My partner is the same. He has to map, and time the exact time we are going to spend in a certain place. Its hilarious but when we fly by the seat of our pants. WE have a great time.
Very cute!!! I'm glad you guys had a nice "Unplanned" day!! :)
I just sent this to my husband because this is our life, we spent years leaving his grumpy ass at home and heading out like explorers on unknown adventures. He rarely joins us because if it isn't budgeted, planned, rsvp'd and served by legal process in triplicate then obviously he can't go because damn it that would ruin everything and the earths crust would shift and elephants would screw giraffes while rome burns because it wasn't planned and then reminded daily in writing for 3 months and 2 days for prior approval. Glad you see life is an adventure, and your only write when you realize you wife lets you think your right.
"yes dear" - two of the best words a wife could hear.
LOL!! I loved this post!! Like really loved it! Not because you are a man and you were wrong but because you were able to step outside your comfort zone and try something new and admit that it worked!!! good for you!!
I loved this post! My sister has a motto, Object to Nothing. I think it is a great one. Go with the flow and let your wonderful wife lead you on a great adventure.
Read this to my husband, he said "you are him and I am the wife". Yep, its true, so I guess I am admitting he is right??!! Damn you Daddy!! :)
I'm with you , daddy. I'm a planner. And some of my absolute best memories are from unplanned adventures. Good job going with the flow :)
We ought to try that sometime, it sounds like you all had a wonderful day. Your wife is right, no plans, just spur of the moment and you had a fabulous day. I love it, the world is too planned about everything anyway. I say just enjoy whatever comes.
Even though my bf and I don't have kids, any time on the weekends we're bored, we just randomly look up a place and go. We recently went to Florida last week for vacation, nothing was planned until we got there... and we did everything we could've asked for and more.
See! Planning really isn't everything. :) What's that old saying..? "We plan, God laughs." -> Works for vacations and downtime, too. ;)